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ANCIENT GKEECE."in most of them between the years 900 and 700 beforeChrist;in others, in the two centuries immediately after theBoric emigration. In several, as in Athens, it was broughtabout by degrees. In that city, when the royal dignity wasabolished at the death of Codrus, 3 archons, differing littlefrom kings, were appointed from his family for life ; thesewere followed by archons chosen for ten 2years ; and theselast continued for seventy years, till the yearly election of acollege of archons set the seal to democracy.The fruit of these changes was the establishment of freeconstitutions for the cities ;which constitutions could prosper only with the increasing prosperity of the towns. Tlmcydideshas described to us in an admirable manner howthis "happened. In those times/' says he/ " no importantwar, which could give a great ascendency to individualstates, was carried on ;the wars which chanced to arise,were only with the nearest neighbours*" Though tranquillity may thus have sometimes been interrupted, the increase of the cities could not be " retarded, But sincecolonies were established beyond the sea, several of the citiesbegan to apply themselves to navigation and commerce; andthe intercourse kept up with them afforded mutual ad3vantages,* The cities/ continues Thueyclides, "becamemore powerful and more wealthy ;but then usurpers arosein most of them, who sougltt only to confirm their ownpower, and enrich their own families but; performed nogreat exploits until ;they were overthrown, not long beforethe Persian wars, by the Spartans (who, amidst all thosestorms, were never subjected to tyrants) and the Athenians.'* 5The essential character of the new political form assumedby Greece, consisted therefore in the circumstance, that thefree states which were formed, were nothing but cities withtheir districts, and their constitutions were consequentlyonly forms of city government. This point of view mustnever be lost sight of. The districts into which Greece wasdivided, did not form, as such, so many states butjthe same1 JS thc P lr 10(58 bcfore Christ. a In the year 752 before Christ.8rhucvd.il 5.4Thucyd.i 13.For the counterpart to the narration of Thucydides, we need only callto mmd the history of the Italian cities, towards the end of the middle age,